Indian dancer Anusha to grace Colombo stage

ANUSHA Lall, a well known dancer and performance artist of the younger generation from India, graces the Colombo stage on January 31 at the Bishop's College Auditorium at 7.00 p.m.

This unique event is being organised to commemorate and celebrate the 62nd birth anniversary of Dr. Neelan Tiruchelvam, an intellectual, a lawyer, untiring fighter for peace, democracy and conflict resolution who was assassinated on July 29, 1999.

The program is being organised by the Neelan Tiruchelvam Trust, International Centre for Ethnic Studies and Law and Society Trust.

A student of Padmashree Leela Samson, Anusha's training was in the South Indian classical dance form of Bharatanatyam.

While she received a thorough education in the classical technique and traditional repertoire of this form performance was an integral part of her training. Between 1994 and 1998, she worked as a professional dancer, performing at solo and group recitals held in and outside India.

In 1999 Anusha joined the Shobana Jeyasinghe dance Company in London, a decision that was inspired by her desire to gain further experience in the creative process of dance while working in a professional company.

In 2001, she joined the London Contemporary Dance School in London where she completed a course in contemporary dance and choreography.

These opportunities enabled her to explore contemporary dance practices while utilizing her training in Bharatanatyam in an affirmative and positively creative way.

Anusha has performed in various cities in India and abroad. Some of her most prestigious performances abroad have been at the United Nations; the Indian Embassy in Tokyo; Theatre der Welt Festival, Stuttgart, Germany; Spring Dance Festival, Utrecht, The Netherlands; Queen Elizabeth Hall, Germany; and Festival of India at Moscow, Novograd and St. Petersburg. Anusha lives in New Delhi where she creates, performs and teaches dance and movement.

Founder's Day celebrations of Bishop's College today

THE Founder's Day of Bishop's College, Colombo will be celebrated with the Sisters of St. Margaret Oration. The oration is scheduled for today (23) at the Bishop's College Auditorium. Bishop's College which was founded in 1875, marks its 121st anniversary this year.

The Past Pupils' Association of Bishop's College, is organising the Founder's Day commemoration and has for the fourth year in succession dedicated the event to the sisters of St. Margaret.

Bishop's College is enriched by distinct traditions of the Sisters of St. Margaret. The sisters who looked after the destinies of Bishop's College from 1887-1955, have left an indelible impression on the school.

The connection did not break off in 1955, as the Sister Superior of the Convent at Polwatte functioned as Manager until April 1973, when Sister Ursula Mary, the last Sister from East Grinstead, England, left the island.

And even then, an unofficial bond continues between the Sisters and the administration of Bishop's College.

Miss L. Y. Pode, who had been Vice Principal working with Sister Gabriel, became Principal in 1955, to succeed awhile later by Miss A. C. B. Jayasuriya in 1959. Ms Jayasuriya came from a career in the Anglican Diocese of Kurunegala.

Though this was her first connection with Bishop's College, a close rapport was established between her and the Sisters right from her very arrival, she too being a woman of prayer. Brenda Jayasinghe who was appointed Vice Principal in 1968, was also a past pupil.

On Miss Jayasuriya's retirement in December 1978, the bond of the school with the Sisters was further strengthened, as the next Principal, Gwen Dias-Abeysinghe, was a past pupil who had been under the tutelage of the Sisters.

After she had served the school as Head for ten years, the mantle fell on the shoulders of her Vice Principal, Lindley Jayasuriya, who had practically her entire education with the Sisters at Bishop's College.

In addition she maintained the connection by having served on the staff of the school since graduation. Lindley Jayasuriya was succeeded by Hemamalie Bibile, a reputed educationalist who is presently the Principal of the school.

The bond with the Sisters was never broken. The administration has been nurtured on the traditions set down by the Sisters of St. Margaret.

The influence of the Sisters also pervaded another area. Those past pupils who have been brought up by the Sisters to be upright persons, ever placing their motto before them, have passed on a sort of descedency to their progeny.

No school function is complete without the presence of the Sisters as revered guests. The school shows gratitude each year to the sisters by her contribution at the St.Margaret's Festival.

The Past Pupils' Association also shares close ties with the Sisters of St. Margaret. It is in this context that the oration is dedicated to the sisters.

The oration is delivered each year by a distinguished past pupil who has excelled professionally in a particular sphere at national and international levels. Past orations were delivered by Prof. Yasmin Gunaratne, Oosha Saravanamuttu and Irene Wanigaratne together and Justice Shirani Tilakawardena.

To deliver this year's oration, the Past Pupils' Association has invited Irangani Serasinghe who has brought honour to the school and the country in the realm of film and theatre.

She has also made a mark as an environmentalist. The PPA states that this event will bring together past pupils, past teachers, parents and well-wishers who are associated with the school.

Music Storm in Colombo

S.W STORM the UK's leading Soca Artiste, found far and wide performing with his band 'Island Fury' is currently in Sri Lanka doing his gig at Taj Samudra Hotel.

With his fusion of Soca and the many Mainstream styles, Storm has developed a sound that is moving audiences worldwide. With 6 albums, 3 videos and a number of singles all produced under his own label 'S.W.S Music', Storm says he is pleased to play in Sri Lanka along with his dancing and harmony girls and very excited about the reception he gets after his shows.

Sina Wayne Storm aka S.W. Storm, was born in London, England of Trinidadian Parentage. His musical career began as the lead singer of a Funk/rock band in England, but his love for Soca Music was always there.

After numerous trips to his parents' homeland and many other Caribbean carnivals, Storm went into the studio and began his plan to fuse the infectious rhythms of the Caribbean with the music culture of the UK.

The result was a 5 track debut album entitled 'Island Fury' which was released for the 1997 Trinidad & Tobago Carnival season.

This release contained the big hit songs 'NICE' and 'GROOVE ME' receiving great airplay on radio and extensive play of the Video on TV.

Storm performed all over Trinidad for the carnival season where he left his audiences totally entertained and was also a semi-finalist in the 'Soca Monarch' competition.

The singer/songwriter's 'HOT' performances made an impressive impact on the Soca and Calypso world of music.

Since then Storm has been on a roller coaster ride of personal success and achievment with solid radio airplay in Trinidad, Barbados, New York, Miami, Canada and his hometown of London, England.

1998 saw the release of Storm's first full length album 'No Fear', a 15 track CD which included productions by mega producers $hel$hok (Trinidad) ,Ossie Gurley (Canada) and Nicholas Branker (Barbados).

The album has a diversity of tempos including a new hybrid of Soca and the East Indian rhythm of Chutney music. The tracks are mixed with rhythms of cool Reggae as in 'Sweet', R&B as in 'Aphrodiziac Lady' and 'Nice', and Dance as in 'Slave No More'.

Nayana talks about largest local extravaganza

THE 9th Sunsilk Hair & Beauty Fair, organised by SLAHAB will take place on January 26, 27, 28 and 29 from 10 a.m. - 8 p.m., at the BMICH.

The Sri Lanka Association of Hairdressers and Beauticians (SLAHAB) was established in 1996 through the endeavours of a group of leading hairdressers in the industry.

Nayana Karunaratne, founder of SLAHAB shared her views on the importance of hair and beauty and the initiation of the prestigious association.

"During 1994 and 1995, myself as well as some of the other known hairdressers of that time, used to individually organise training programs in Sri Lanka where we invited foreign experts, and so we were able to take part in lots of competitions and meet other foreign hairdressers. We were so good at what we did that we were encouraged to come together to form an association," says Mrs. Karunaratne.

With the aim of elevating the profession of hairdressing in Sri Lanka to an international level, SLAHAB was born.

Some of the very first members of the association were Ramzi Rahman, Janet Fernando, Sherine Fernando, Thilaque de Silva, Shayani and Sharmane from Salon Sharmane and myself. Originally beginning thus with a handful of members, the association has grown in stature and now boasts a membership spanning over 2000.

SLAHAB has been responsible for organising several prestigious hair and beauty events such as the internationally renowned hair and beauty competition 'Hair Asia Pacific' which was hosted for nine successive years, 'Sunsilk Hair and Beauty Fair', as well as 'Hair World', the world's hair championship that was held in Italy in 2004.

"The fair will cater to different types of people," said Nayana. "What's good about this event is that so many hairdressers from all over the island get a chance to prove themselves, show off their skills and gain recognition. We have people calling from far off places like Polonnaruwa and Anuradhapura; such is the degree of islandwide participation."

Ten workshops conducted prior to the fair served as awareness programs to enlighten and prepare prospective participants for the big event - the SLAHAB Award 2006.

The workshops were held throughout the country in the areas of Ratnapura, Kandy, Anuradhapura, Negombo, Gampaha Matara, Ambalangoda, Kurunegala, Colombo etc.

Sri Lankan student delegation excel at 8th ICSQCC 2005 in India

A 105 member team of students and teachers attended the 8th International Convention on Student's Quality Control Circles 2005 held in Lucknow, India from December 1 to 5,2005 organised by the City Montessori School & Degree College, Lucknow, under the aegis of the World Council for Total Quality & Excellence in Education. (WCTQEE), QCI International USA & Quality Circle Forum of India.

The theme for the convention was Student Quality Control Circles in Education - 'An Initiative To Develop Total Quality Person'.

More than 2,700 delegates from Albania, Bosnia, Bangladesh, Japan, Hong Kong, Kuwait, Malaysia, Mauritius, Nigeria, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Turkey, USA, UK and various states of India took part in the convention.

This was the largest gathering of students, teachers, principals, and 'Quality Gurus'. Total of 184 schools took part in the International Convention.

Holy Family Convent (Bambalapitiya), Devi Balika Vidyalaya, Ananda College, Nalanda College, and Basilica College (Ragama) participated in the convention.

Our students carried away the highest number of awards, including the DEMING & JURAN TROPHIEs for their Quality Circle case study presentations.

Students also won awards in the Poster, Painting, Slogan and Collage. Debate, Quality Quiz, Skit Competitions and at the Cultural show.

Our students were the talking point of the convention, impressing with their excellent performance, discipline, and winning 15 awards, highest among all participating countries.

The Sri Lankan team was lead by Director General of WCTQEE - Nelum de Silva and Deputy Director General - Mr. Ranjith Goonatilake (International Management Consultant).

Sri Lankan delegates left the convention with unforgettable happy memories and experience they will share with other students back at home.

They have returned home with a wealth of knowledge and experience, meeting people from far and wide, with the challenge posed to them, "How to make every child a gift to mankind and a pride to the human race".

Dr. Zhivago at Russian Centre

THE famous film about the Russian Revolution (in English) which is Metro Goldwyn Mayer's presentation of David Lean's film of Boris Pasternak's Doctor Zhivago starring Omar Sharif as Zhivago, Alec Guinness and other famous filmstars will be screened at Russian Centre, Auditorium, 10, Independence Avenue, Colombo 7 on Saturday 29th January 2006 at 5 p.m.

The film is both a vast panorama of a nation convulsed by war and the intimate drama of one man's struggle to survive.

That man is Zhivago - poet and surgeon, husband and lover whose war-disrupted life touches and alters the live of many, including Tonya, the gentle woman he marries, and Lara, the woman he cannot forget.

The film is a Academy Award Winner. For further details, please contact Chandi on Tel: 2685429/2685440/2686684 between 9.00 a.m. to 4.00 p.m.